The Education Commission of the States plans to provide tools for school leaders to measure student performance against international benchmarks. From Competing to Leading: An International Benchmarking Blueprint introduces the initiative. That report explains:

The United States once enjoyed the position of global leader in education and now is struggling to compete. In measuring progress, most states compare themselves to other states rather than to international benchmarks. Because of the nation's diminished international standing, continuing to engage in inter-state comparisons risks perpetuating regionally low standards and achievement, and ignores the necessity to adequately prepare a workforce that is mobile across both state and national boundaries. To move from competing to leading, states should spend less time comparing to one another and spend more time comparing to high-performing countries.

By January of 2009, ECS will create and disseminate an International Benchmarking Toolkit that provides specific strategies for adoption and adaption of the Blueprint. The organization plans to create a bank of international standards of high-performing nations for states, districts and schools to compare, contrast and/or utilize by December of 2009.

This first report is designed to create awareness of the need for international benchmarking and to define what schools can expect from subsequent ECS contributions to their International Benchmarking Blueprint and toolkit. Subsequent resources will:

• Outline aspects of education that must be addressed to achieve a world-class system
• Describe and offer policy recommendations in four critical areas that must be embraced and aligned: international standards, quality instruction, professional development and assessment
• Highlight characteristics of high-performing nations and states that have systems accessible to all students regardless of socioeconomic status
• Address the perceptions and realities facing education leaders and policymakers in adopting
• and adapting the Blueprint.

This report provides samples for each area addressed.

Source: ECS, From Competing to Leading: An International Benchmarking Blueprint, PDF